Pianoforte



Oct. s, 1929.

R H. coLLEN 1,731,158

PIANOFORTE Filed NOV. 9. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. H. cLLEN PIANOFORTE Oct. 8, 1929.

Filed Nov. 9, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 COLLI/7 ---MME ROBERT 6r H15 mar/frs Oct. 8, 1929. R. H. coLLEN 1,731,153 Y PIANOFORTE Filed NOV. 9, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 8, 1929.

R. H. coLLEN 1,731,158

PIANOFORTE Filed Nov. 9, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 m/f/rme HUBERT/fm?? COLLE/Y r/ms mok/lm Oct/.18, 1929. R. H. coLLi-:N

PIANOFORTE vFiled Nov. 9, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 8, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT HENRY COLLEN, OF EAST HAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN BROADWOOD & SONS LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND PIANOFORTE Application led November 9, 1926, Serial No. 147,272, and in Great Britain November 26, 1925.

rl`his invention has for its objectto provide an improved construction of pianoforte of the upright, or cottage, type whereby it can be more economically, easily and efficiently manufactured, or constructed, than hitherto, and wherein liability ot injury to parts during its manufacture, or construction, is reduced to a minimum, and mainly consists in making the enclosing case, or cabinet, of the instrument as a single and independent unit (hereinafter referred to as the case-unit) and in making and assembling the various parts that constitute the mechanism proper of the said instrument, that is, the iron trame, sound board strings, action, keys and other associate parts, as another separate and independent unit (hereinafter referred to as the playingunit) so that to complete the instrument it is only necessary to place the playing-unit in the case-unit and to secure the said units together preferably by means such that, when required, they may be easily and quickly separated the one from the other and again be united, or such that one of the said units may be changed.

IVe will describe an example of a pianotorte constructed in accordance with this invention wth reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a section through the case of the pianoforte, Figure 2 is an elevation of the metal pianoforte frame, attached to a bottom board, Figure 3 is a section on the lines a, a, of Figure 2, the said section also shewing the sound board and the arms for supporting the playing unit, Figure 4 is a perspective view of the sound board as a separate unit, Figure 5 is a perspective view of part of the front of the metal frame shewing the bottom board and key board attached thereto and Figure 6 is a perspective View of part of the casing in position to be attached to the parts shewn in Figure 5.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the metal frame A shewn is made of stronger section than usual so that it can take the full tension of the strings whereby the heavy timber back provided in pianofortes as hitherto constructed is dispensed with. The actual stringing portion ot the frame may be oit any suitable, or known, construction. On the rear side of the frame is an endless web B which constitutes a liange within which the sound board closely fits, a slightly raised, or thickcned, portion C within and adjoining the said web, or flange, constituting a seating 'for the sound board. Instead oi the web B the frame A may be cast with bosses (not shewn) there being as many as are required for the purpose of bolting the sound-board through each of' the corner joints, to the frame.

The sound board (Figure Ll) consists oil a board D having glued, or otherwise secured to the edges of its rear face, the sound board rails E and the diagonal bars F, all olf which may be as usual, but preferably the said sound board rails E are wider and deeper than usual. The sound board is made the same outside shape as the shape of the web B into which it. lits and is secured to the frame A by bolts, or screws, passed through the holes H and I in the sound board and frame respectively. The wrest-plank J for the tuning pins is secured in the usual position to the rear side ot the iron frame A by bolts passing through holes I2 in the known, or any,r suitable, manner. Secured to, or 'formed in one with, the said iron frame A are suitably shaped feet L for supporting the said traine and by which it can be securely bolted to a board M or' substantial thickness which constitutes the bottom board ot the instriuuent when the playing-unit is in position in the case-unit, and therefore the length oit the said board will be such as to properly lit between the main end, or vertical, members of the said case-unit. Projecting from the Jiront of the said iron frame at, or about, midway of its height and at a suitable distance from each end thereof are arms R, adapted to support the key bottom board Q, the keys and action mechanism, the latter, which may be as usual, not being shown. The said supporting arms R may be formed in one with the said iron frame A or be secured thereto in any suitable manner. In Figure 5 O are cast on in two pairs, one pair situated towards the treble end and one pair towards the bass end. one boss being at a distance beneath its corresponding boss for the purpose of boltinji; to each pair an angle iron bracket P, to supportiron trame A strung in the usual manner and ein the hereinbeiiore mentioned parts to have been secured as described, the so constructed playing unit is now in condition to have mounted thereon the keys, action and pedal mechanism and when these parts have been properly fitted ilnished and regulated, and the strings tuned the whole constitutes a complete playable unit but without the enclosing easing which is constructed as an entirely separate unit as hereinafter described.

ihe fitting of the keys, action and pedal mechanism and the linishing and regulating is the same as in ordinary pianoforte construction and therefore requires no description and is not shewn in the drawings, but it will be obvious that such i'itting, finishing and regulating can be more easily, quickly and eiciently etlected when tree from the casing, and moreover the liability ot injury to the said casing, which in the known manner of construction had hitherto been present, is in the construction according to this invention entirely eliminated.

F or convenience in conve inO the Jia inv unit, during the various stages ot its construction,rfrom sliep to shop, in a factory, the bottom board to which the iron iframe is secured may be removably secured to a trolley.

F or the sake rof convenience, the unit heretoore referred to as the playing-unit may be termed the main resonant parts o't the piano and consistiof the string frame A and sounding board D which has associated therewith as a unitary structure the key bottom board.

It is, of course, understood that the piano case itself is likewise resonant but the case is intended to be excluded from the term main resonant parts.

The case unit is preferably constructed as shewn in Figures l and 6. To the inner side of each of the main end, or vertical, members l are glued and screwed to the cheek-members 2 and the toe-members 3. The cheekmembers are extended downwards beyond the usual level of the key bottom and the forward portion of each of the said cheekmembers is supported by a leg el interposed etween and secured to the under-side of the said forward portion of the said cheekmember and the upper side of the forward portion ot the said toe-member. Each'of the cheek-members is preferably formed from a'solid piece of wood of substantial thickness for strength and its rear portion practically the rear end of the said main end,

or vertical member l to which it is secured and each has a portion at its rear cut away `from its underside to permit of the bottom board M oli' the playing unitsliding thereunder. The iframe into which the bottom door lits consists of a bottom rail 5, commonly known in the art as the plinth, a top rail (l, commonly known in the art as the tast-rail, and end rails 7 commonly known in the art as door-posts, or pilasters, each being morticed, tenoned and secured the one to the other and to the main end, or vertical, members and to the top members in such manner as to constitute a tie between the lowerV part of the said main end, or vertical, members and also constitute a substantial intermediate bracing for the lower portion oi the case. rlhe fast-rail has suitable portions cut away at its upper part to permit ot the passage of the arms, or the equivalent, on the iron-frame ot' the playingunit when the said playing-unit and the caseunit are assembled, the upper part ont the door-posts l', or pilasters, have portions cut away to clear the cheek-members 2 and openings are cut in the plinth for the insertion of tliepedal feet. rlhe bottom-door 8 is adapted to lit in the aforesaid frame and to be removably secured therein by means of lillets, dowels and turn-buttons in the known, or any suitable, way.

For Yrigidity of the upper portion of the case, in addition to the back-halt 9 of the top horizontal member a sub-top l0 is provided which is dovetailed, orsuitably tired to the two end members l, the upper surface to be ilush with the top of the said end members and in a position directly underneath the top member 9. Y

For the purpose of making contact and iiXing between the top portion of the case and the flanges 3 of the blank portion of the iron trame A, the two end vertical members are provided on their inside faces with a thickened portion 1S extending from the top oi the said ends to the top of the cheekmember Q, of a thickness corresponding to the width of the said flanges S of the iron frame. .Hinged to the said back-halt' 9 of the top, or horizontal member, is the tronthalt ll of thesaid member which may be as usual. rlhe forward, or front, ends of the said cheek-members 2 are rigidly connected by a rail 'l2 ot the same or approximately the same, thickness as the key-bottom board on the playing unit and against which the said board butts when the playing-unit is in position in the case, the said rail also constitutes the member to which the lock-rail lll) llt)

13 is secured. Secured to the inner sides of the cheek-members are strips 14 which act to properly position the removable back-hollow 15 to which is hinged the fall 16 which closes down onto the aforesaid lock-rail 13. The top door 17 butts against the front edges of the main vertical, or end, members and may be removably secured to the case by any known, or suitable, means.

The case-unit having been completely made and assembled as aforesaid is suitably polished and provided with two front castors fixed in the usual position to the forward part of the toe-members and it is then ready to receive and have secured therein the playing-unit hereinbefore described. This is effected by sliding the case-unit onto the front of the playing-unit until the following parts engage, or contact, one with the other (see Figures 5 and 6). The rear portion of the toe-mcmbers 3 being under-cut to the depth of the bottom-board M of the playing-unit permits the said toe-members to ride over the said bottom-board until the rear side of the plinth butts against the said bottom-board; the key-bottom board Q will then be butting against the front rail 12 beneath the lockrail 13 and the flanges S of the iron frame will be butting up to the inside edges of the thickened up insides 1S of the ends 1, and upon the pedal feet being passed through the open ings formed in the plinth and connected to the levers which they respectively act-uate, the two units are completely assembled and are ready to be removably secured together. This may be effected by any suitable means, for example, the lower portions of the units may be secured by screws, or bolts, passing through holes 19 in the toe-members of the case-unit and the bottom board of the playing-unit, the key-bottom board Q may be secured to the inside faces of the cheek-members 2 by angle brackets or wood fillets screwed respectively into the cheek members and into the key-bottom board and for securing the upper portions bolts may be used, passing through a clear hole T at each end in the plank J and flanges S of the frame, throuoh also a clear hole U in the thickness 18 of the inside end pieces, screwing up ultimately in a threaded metal inset 19 let into the extra thickness 18 of the inside ends 1. If necessary, distance piece screws may be inserted in the contact part of the inside ends, one above and one below, the said bolt to counteract any possible distortion of the units and to facilitate the contact of the caseunit with the playing-unit at these points.

This manner of connecting up the units at their top, bottom and mid parts ensures a rigid connection which is efficient and simple and permits of the said units being easily disconnected when desired for effecting repairs, or renewals, and moreover either of the said units may be removed and replaced by another should at anytime it be desired to do so.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction of the parts described.

I claim 1. An upright pianoforte comprising a case-unit, in combination with a unit formed separately from said case-unit constituting the main resonant parts and a key-bottom board and means for removably securing said second mentioned unit to said case-unit.

2. An upright pianoforte comprising a case-unit, vertical end members forming a part of said case-unit, and thickened upper portions on said vertical end members, in combination with a unit formed separately from said case-unit constituting the main resonant parts and a key-bottom board and means for removably securing the top of the pianoforte frame to the thickened upper portions of the vertical end members, said caseunit and said second mentioned unit being thereby adapted for ready attachment and detachment.

8. An upright pianoforte comprising a caseunit, vertical end members forming a part of said case-unit, thickened upper portions on said vertical end members and toe members attached to the lower portions of said vertical end members, in combination with a unit formed separately from said case-unit constituting the main resonant parts and a key-bottom board, a bottom rail upon which said second mentioned unit is mounted, means for removably securing the top of the pianoforte frame to the thickened upper portions of the vertical end members, and means for removably securing the bottom rail to the toe members, said case-unit and said second mentioned unit being adapted for ready attachment and detachment, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT HENRY COLLEN. 

